Big Run Media at the Richmond Race Director Forum

We’re hosting an interactive Race Directors Forum in Richmond in April, in conjunction with the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10K, and we’ll be joined there by industry marketing veterans Big Run Media. For a sneak peek, we asked Big Run Media’s Co-Founder and Creative Director Thomas Neuberger a few questions about the business of marketing races.

The Bonafides

Big Run Media was founded Thomas Neuberger and Meaghan Murray. Between the two of them, they brought experience from brand campaigns such as GORE-TEX, New Balance, Sony Music, Sony Pictures, A&E and Viacom. With their current focus on the running industry, they’ve built a roster of events that trust their expertise – among them, Annapolis Running Classic, The Donna Marathon Weekend, Corrigan Sports Entertainment, and Under Armour Mountain Series (to name a few).

Q: How is marketing a race different from marketing other brands? 

A: It isn’t different – good marketing is, in principle, the same across all products and services. You have to know how to connect and motivate the consumer to take action. The difference with Big Run Media is that we understand this market because we are immersed in the running industry, we are passionate about it, and we know what will get the runners excited about an event. With that understanding, it is all applying the right marketing mix to get the job done.

Q: What are three oft-overlooked aspects of marketing a race?

1. Take the time to get to know your audience and understand how to connect with them.
2. Activate your data: know how to capture and use data about your audience.
3. Photos! Take journalistic photos that tell a story about your event.

There are still a few spots available to join Big Run Media (and us!) on April 12th in Richmond. Register here!

An outline of the day:

Friday, April 12, 2019

1:00pm-5:00pm: lunch, learning, and discussion at the Quirk Hotel in Richmond, VA. We’ll examine marketing strategies, securing and managing sponsors, technology for events, and trends within the endurance market.

5:00pm-8:00pm: Networking social hour, a look inside the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10K, and time to explore the expo.

Running (or volunteering!) for the Ukrops Monument Avenue 10K the following day is encouraged. To keep the session engaging and interactive, spots are very limited, so don’t wait to register!